Harry stayed where he was, waiting quietly. When Clara finally stepped out of the bathroom, he immediately searched her expression for answers. It did not take long for him to notice the difference.Anna looked much better.The redness that had covered her face earlier had faded significantly, and the tension in her small body seemed to have eased. Seeing that alone caused a visible shift in Harry. The tightness in his chest loosened, and relief washed over him.“How is she?” he asked, unable to hide the concern in his voice.Clara offered him a calm, reassuring smile.“She’ll be okay,” she said gently. “Just make sure you get her some medication as well, but the worst part is already behind her.”From the way things had unfolded, it was clear to Clara that this illness had not just appeared out of nowhere. Something like this did not develop instantly, even if the child had recently been removed from a harsh or polluted environment. Anna must have been unwell for some time before now

Harry could hardly believe what he had just heard. To him, it sounded completely ridiculous. Why would any man offer up his own wife as if she were something to be passed around? The idea alone did not sit right with him.At the same time, Clara’s reaction earlier had been unclear. She had not explicitly agreed to anything, but she had not firmly resisted either. That uncertainty made the situation even more complicated, and Harry could not confidently decide what her true stance was.“You’re assuming I’m even interested,” Harry said calmly.He had no intention of entertaining the idea. He understood very well that getting involved in something like this could lead to consequences that could not be undone. If things went wrong, it would not just affect Brandon’s marriage. It could spiral into something far worse.The last thing he needed was for Clara to develop feelings for him. That would only make everything more difficult, possibly forcing him into decisions he did not want to mak

By the time the day wound down, Harry found himself sitting beside Anna, watching over her with an intensity that bordered on obsession. It felt as though if he looked away for even a second, something unseen might snatch her away from him and drag her into death’s grip. The thought made no sense, and deep down he knew he was being irrational, but the fear clung to him anyway. Still, there was no real cause for alarm. Anna was resting quietly, her breathing steady, her face calm. Nothing about her suggested danger. Even so, Harry could not shake the weight of everything that had happened. The way events had unfolded still felt surreal, almost like something out of a story rather than his own life. Yet despite the chaos, he was grateful. If he had not found Anna when he did, her future would have been bleak. With her brother still caught up in his addiction, there was no doubt her life expectancy would have been cut short. Her brother had chosen escape over responsibility, running fro

Harry found himself alone with Alicia, and a part of him was determined to keep Anna’s existence hidden from her. If Alicia became aware of the child, it might give her another reason to linger in his life longer than necessary. Clara had already taken care of everything the child needed, so there was no justification for anyone else to get involved. More importantly, Harry did not trust Alicia enough to know how she might use that information to her advantage. There was always the possibility that she could twist it into something harmful. He let out a quiet sigh as he watched Alicia plead in front of him. The sight was almost embarrassing. After everything he had just said to her, her behavior came across as pitiful. Any woman with a strong sense of self-worth would have turned around and left without hesitation. But then again, when survival was at stake, what did self-respect really mean? In a world like this, people clung to whatever kept them afloat. Pride often became a luxury

The night eventually wrapped up without much happening. Alicia ended up staying over after Harry treated the cut on her wrist to make sure it wouldn’t become infected or worsen. She had no idea there was a child in his home. Harry hadn’t intended for her to remain the night, but he couldn’t risk something happening to her if she left. If anything did go wrong, he would be the last person to have seen her alive, and that would immediately cast suspicion on him and draw attention he didn’t want. By morning, Anna woke up feeling noticeably better than she had the day before. The smell of food drifting through the house was what pulled her out of bed, and that was also the moment Alicia realized she wasn’t alone in the house. Anna wandered into the kitchen and stopped at the doorway, simply staring at Alicia. “Who are you, kid?” Alicia asked, but Anna didn’t respond right away. She seemed almost dazed. Alicia’s beauty had caught her off guard, and it was the first time she had seen som